Students with disability events are for schools who nominate teams or individual student entry. Find out more and how to participate.

Students with disability (SWD) events

School Sport SA offer two different types of events for SWD:

• Variety Games: for students in years 4 to 12 who are recorded as having a disability through the Nationally Consistent Disability Data Collection.
• Multiclass Championships: for students who hold a National or Provisional Classification

Variety Games

School Sport SA is incredibly fortunate and thankful to Special Olympics SA and Variety - The Children’s Charity. Through their generosity, we are able to offer an extensive program free of charge to SWD.

The focus on this program is on fun and participation with no scores kept and there are no winning teams. Instead, we celebrate inclusivity, fair play, encouragement and having a go.

The program is open to any student in years 4 to 12 who are recorded as having a disability through the Nationally Consistent Disability Data Collection.

Nominations are generally done in teams. If a school does not have enough students to make up a full team, they are still encouraged to participate. Please contact daniel.hornhardt@sa.gov.au to discuss nomination options.

The Variety Games are held right across SA, with the regional carnivals having multiple sports on offer for students to experience.

2026 Variety Games Carnivals

Nominations are due two week before the carnival

Multiclass championships

Our multiclass championships are held in conjunction with our Track & Field, Swimming and Cross Country State Championships.

Students must hold either a national or provisional classification to participate in the SSSA State Championships

A National Classification is required to be selected in these SA state teams to compete at School Sport Australia events.

• 12 years and under track and field
• 10 to 19 years cross country
• 10 to 19 years swimming

Evidence of your official classification will need to be sighted by School Sport SA staff in order to be considered for State Team Selection.

Classification exists in sport to support as fair competition as possible amongst students with different disabilities.

By grouping students with similar levels of functional ability into classes for competition, the outcomes of the competition become based on performance rather than on differences in their disabilities.

Students who do not fit into one of these categories may not be able to be classified.

• Physical or functional
• Vision impairment
• Intellectual
• Deaf
• Transplant

Classification is coordinated by Athletics SA or Swimming SA and must be organised 60 days prior to competing. See classification by Athletics SA or classification Swimming Australia for further details and how to get classified.

2026 multiclass championships

Links to learning

School Sport SA events provide great opportunities for students to develop, consolidate and demonstrate their learning goals, especially the Australian Curriculum General Capabilities.